


Sheep in Wolf's Clothing

by hyuckaboo



Series: NCT Adventuring Guild [2]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Accidental Father Kun, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Cleric Kun, D&D inspired, Found Family, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kid Fic, Literal Children Chenji, Mild Blood, Not like that he just collects children, Ranger Yangyang, Wild Child Yangyang, Wolf Bella, Yangyang is also aged down
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:01:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25801774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hyuckaboo/pseuds/hyuckaboo
Summary: It’s been years since Yangyang has seen anyone traveling through his woods, and he would normally keep his distance… but something about this strange little family catches his interest.
Relationships: Liu Yang Yang & Qian Kun
Series: NCT Adventuring Guild [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1744261
Comments: 7
Kudos: 51





	Sheep in Wolf's Clothing

**Author's Note:**

> This is in the same universe as Out of Alignment, but the plots don't intersect, so you don't need to read that first! Hope you enjoy :)

The leaves of Yangyang’s favorite oak tree have only just begun to redden when he hears voices in his woods for the first time in years. Well, Bella hears them first, because Yangyang is too engrossed in repairing a hunting trap, but she sets a paw on his hand and lets out a low whine to get him to pay attention. He freezes, straining his ears to hear over his heart suddenly thundering in his chest, holding his breath. The voice is male, with a medium tone, firm and gentle. It’s too faint to make out any words, but it’s not a voice he’s familiar with, the tone isn’t deep and harsh enough to be the one he’s been waiting to hear. He scowls, but keeps his head tilted, trying to make out more details. It’s rare for anyone to travel through this area of woods, and even rarer for someone to travel with a companion to talk to. Although if this traveller were crazy enough to be traveling through this snippet of Jahanian forestry, miles from any settlement or actual roads, maybe it would make sense for them to be talking to themselves. Yangyang strokes his hand over Bella’s flank as both he and his wolf companion listen cautiously. He still can’t make out any words, but he can hear a second voice—and maybe a third?— more faint and higher pitched. 

He slides the half-repaired trap into the underbrush and clicks his tongue at Bella who stalks off at his command. He takes a moment to shake his limbs loose and flex his fingers before taking a running leap at the closest tree, scrambling onto its higher branches. The leaves provide decent camouflage as he silently makes his way from branch to branch in the forest canopy. He’ll get close to enough to see who’s passing through and make sure they’re not a threat. It’s also been many years since he last heard his father’s voice; there’s always the small chance he might have misremembered what he sounds like.

As he grows closer, he grows more confused. He’s able by now to hear that the voices are singing, some sort of call-and-response thing where the deeper voice sings out one line and two, definitely two, higher pitched voices sing the next. He’s just about close enough to start making out words, when—

“JISUNG!” A shrill voice suddenly shrieks. Yangyang feels Bella flinch where she is stalking along the forest floor, her ears too sensitive. As it is, Yangyang barely manages to avoid startling off of his tree branch.

A second shriek, “HE HIT ME!”

“Boys!” The deeper voice calls out. Yangyang takes advantage of the presumed distraction to rise and quickly close the rest of the distance until he can get a sight line to the travelers, then pressing his belly to the tree branch. It’s two children and a young man, all human. The children look close in age, both likely a few years younger than Yangyang. The man is definitely older than Yangyang but he’s not sure by how much. A family? It’s perhaps hypocritical to wonder what a family is doing traveling through this area, given that he must have been even younger than these kids when his Dad brought him up here, but these people are very clearly not kitted up to survive like he was. No bows, no blades... do they even have any weapons on them at all? Bella has circled around to look from their other side and she also doesn’t see any. Are they lost?

“Settle down, boys. Chenle, apologize to Jisung. It’s not kind to strike others.”

“I wouldn’t have hit him if he could sing the words right!” The larger boy (Chenle, was it?) shouts, and the smaller one, presumably Jisung, bursts into tears and wraps himself around the man’s waist.

“Singing a song a different way doesn’t mean it’s wrong, and it definitely doesn’t give you a reason to hurt another person.” The man sounds like he’s trying to be firm, but tiredness colors his tone. He strokes the smaller boy’s hair comfortingly. “Now go ahead and apologize, Chenle. I know you’re tired and that makes anger come quickly, but Jisung is just as tired, and he doesn’t deserve to have his friend hit him. We’re all in this together, we need to be kind to one another.”

Chenle looks mutinous, but mutters out a weak, “Sorry.” 

The man gently unpeels Jisung’s arms from around his waist and turns him to face Chenle. “Do you accept his apology, Jisung?”

Jisung opens his mouth to reply but is only able to sob incoherently. He does manage a slight nod, before immediately returning to cling to the man. 

Chenle holds his glare for just another moment before he too bursts into tears. “Kun-ge, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to!”

The man just extends an arm to him, and then he has two sobbing children wrapped around him. He sighs and slowly lowers himself to sit on the forest floor. “It’s okay, hush now… you’re both very tired. We did make great progress today, but we were traveling for longer than past days. I’m proud of you guys. Why don’t we rest for the rest of the day, hmm?”

The man rubs their backs comfortingly until their tears abate. “Maybe a nice dinner would brighten our spirits, hmm?” He rises and stretches his arms over his head, then cracks his knuckles. Does he have rations in his pack? He surely doesn’t mean to hunt without a weapon—

The man brings his hands up to clasp before his face, muttering something short under his breath, then reaches forward with a sweeping gesture. As his hands arc over the dirt ground, glowing plates piled high with breads and fruit suddenly appear, along with a glowing pitcher of water. 

Yangyang feels a chill run down his spine as Bella’s fur stands on end. He shuffles backwards as quickly and silently as he can, then turns and flees across the branches as soon as he has the cover of leaves. He runs until he reaches his oak tree which he scales immediately without a break. By the time he reaches his favorite cranny high in its boughs, besides his small rucksacks of trinkets and tools tied to the branches, he is completely out of breath. He’s safe here, though. Bella has returned to the clearing at the base of the oak after making sure they weren’t followed, and she’ll warn him of any danger. Now he can think.

What was that? Stupid question, surely it must have been magic. Yangyang has never seen somebody else use magic. He can use a little himself, to an extent, taught by the grace of the forest in her warmer moods. He thinks it’s magic, at least, he never found a better explanation for the sort of things he can do. But they’re small things, little tricks that help him hunt better. Creating a feast out of thin air? That’s _real_ magic. No wonder he’s walking through Yangyang’s woods unarmed with two children in tow. What other wondrous things can he do? What other terrible, scary things might he be capable of? 

Yangyang’s wild thoughts are interrupted quite rudely by his stomach growling. 

Whatever. Maybe this traveler could magically wave his hand to make dinner, but Yangyang has no such luxuries. It’s getting late and he needs to get going if he doesn’t want to go to sleep on an empty stomach. Bella assures him that the coast is clear, so he grabs his favorite bow from where it’s tucked against a divot in the branch and slides down the tree. He slips away towards the west, the opposite direction from the traveller’s camp, to hunt down his own supper.

—

Yangyang spends the night in the tree, though it is chilly enough that he would have been more comfortable curling up with Bella on the ground. An abundance of caution, he told himself before settling in, but now that he’s trying to stretch out a krik in his neck after a largely sleepless night, he wonders if maybe he had been too careful. The sun has just risen maybe an hour or so prior and the day is already warming up. This will likely be one of the last hot days of the season and Yangyang ought to take advantage of it. He idly wonders if the magician and his kids have moved on yet, he’d like to check on some of his traps in that area.

“Chenle!” A man calls from the east, voice rough and panicked. That answers that question. “Chenle, where are you?”

Chenle is one of the kids, right? He supposes they won’t be leaving till they find him. Kind of dumb to run away from and piss off a mage, but he’s sure the man will teach him a lesson to remember. He remembers when he was younger and had the horrible idea to try to play hide away from his father… Maybe this man will be kinder, even if he is a mage.

Yangyang is content to sit in his clearing and work on fletching some newly carved arrows while he waits for the travelers to find their straggler and go, Bella curled up against his legs while he works. He can hear the man and the second child continue calling intermittently at a distance. It’s easy to tune them out and lose himself in the work. 

Bella rises to her feet with a sudden huff when the travelers call out louder, getting too close for comfort. Yangyang follows her lead. It’s been longer than an hour at this point, and they still haven’t found him? A faint pang of worry rises in his stomach. There are many dangers in the forest that could easily hurt or kill any outsider, let alone a stupid child. Yangyang slings his bow and a quiver of his new arrows over his shoulder and sets off towards the traveler’s camp from last night, giving wide berth to the voices he hears moving westward.

The camp is marked by the remains of a bonfire and a piece of parchment pinned to the ground by a heavy stone. There’s something scribbled on it, but given Yangyang can’t read, it’s not helpful to him. He examines the area as Bella sniffs around. It looks like the two kids spent the night curled up on the ground beside the fire, but the man stayed upright against a tree. There’s plenty of prints showing movement around the camp and the surrounding area, probably from the man’s first attempt at finding the missing kid, which make it thoroughly impossible to isolate tracks from when the kid slipped away or was taken. Sensing his frustration, Bella gives a low bark, continuing to nose around the fire pit.

“Yeah, this one’s all on you, girl.” He watches as the wolf circles the clearing once more. Her tail begins to wag slightly as she begins to pick up a scent, a habit she’s had since she was just a pup, a runt pushed out of her pack and into Yangyang’s similarly pack-less lap. They’re so lucky to have found each other.

Bella barks again when she’s found a solid scent, tail waving rapidly with her excitement as she waits for him to catch up. “Good girl!” Yangyang laughs as she shoots off towards the south, running to keep pace with his companion.

The trail is meandering, circling over itself in several places. It seems like the kid really did wander off and get lost. By some fortune, he’d managed to veer away from a steep ravine well hidden by underbrush, and diverted from a path that would have led him towards the den of a mean grizzly Yangyang has been keeping a wary eye on. Bella stops short after they’ve been moving for about half an hour and Yangyang crouches behind her. Now that they aren’t moving he can pick up what brought her to stop—faint, muffled sobs. He creeps forward silently until the sound grows clearer, then carefully peers out above the foliage.

The kid is curled up on the ground, weeping into his hands. He doesn’t look hurt, just disheveled. “Gege!” He wails between sobs. 

Yangyang almost wishes he could go comfort him, but if— _when_ Yangyang’s father comes back, he’ll be furious if Yangyang had revealed his whereabouts to any outsider. He had always taught him how important it was that no other people ever found out where they were. Yangyang won’t forget that lesson, even for a scared kid. He’ll find a way to get him help without showing himself. For now, he fixes a steady gaze on Chenle and gestures with his arm as he would if he were measuring the distance of a target. With the gesture, a sizzle of energy snaps in place, and Yangyang can sense the boy even as he turns back the way he came. He strokes a hand through Bella’s fur with a silent command for her to stay and watch over the kid, then heads back through the forest towards where he last heard the man. He travels through the branches to more easily stay concealed.

The man is easy to find once more, still shouting with an increased desperation. Yangyang stops when he can make out distinct words being called and takes a deep breath. 

“GEGE!” He shouts as loudly as he dares. There’s a short pause before he hears a response.

“Chenle? Is that you, Lele? I’m coming, ge’s coming, just stay put!”

Yangyang darts off back in the direction of Bella and Chenle, and hears the man and the second kid follow at a slower pace. He pauses after a few moments to wait for them to catch up. Once they are again just within hearing range, he shouts the same as he did before, and sets off. This reminds him of a game he and Bella sometimes play, a mix of call-out hide and seek and keep away. Sure, there’s more at stake here than a ranger and his wolf fooling around, but it’s still thrilling to play with other humans for a change, even if they don’t know it’s a game. 

He leads them along a path that should be easier to follow for a child, though he does need to leave the safety of the trees to guide them across an area struck by blight a few years past. Bella joins him shortly thereafter, brushing along his legs affectionately just as the missing boy himself calls out a mournful, “Doggie? Doggie, where did you go?”

“Chenle? Oh lord Deo, Chenle stay put! Do not follow any wild animals! I’ll be right there!”

Yangyang peers out of the underbrush just in time to see the travelers reunite, the man red in the face as he runs into the clearing holding the second boy to his chest like he was a much younger child. 

“KUN-GE!” Chenle shrieks as he runs at them. The man barely manages to set his carried charge down before Chenle barrels into him and sends him toppling to the ground. The other boy piles on as well, aaaaaaaand they’re both crying again. The man (Kunge?) gently shifts them so he can sit upright, returning their embrace.

“Are you hurt anywhere? Let me see your face, Chenle… oh shhh, hush now, you’re alright. We found you, it’s going to be okay, we’re here.”

“I was so scared, ge, I’m sorry for leaving the camp! I had to pee but you were sleeping and I thought I could go on my own but then I got lost...” he devolves back into wordless sobs as the man rubs his back soothingly.

“It’s alright Lele, all that matters is that you’re safe now. Jisung, you don’t need to cry, baby, he’s safe!”

Yangyang is puzzled. He’s not angry at all? Even after running around the forest all morning? That doesn’t make any sense.

The man settles both boys into his side, still rubbing their backs as he encourages them to take deep breaths. “We’ve had a very exciting morning, boys, I think we should relax a little bit, hmm? What do you think about a nap?”

“Only if you sing us a lullaby, Kun-ge,” Jisung pipes up as his tears slow. “The one with the fairy and the wicked king!”

“I think that’s fair, little star.” Both boys snuggle in tighter as the man clears his throat and begins to sing. It’s a nicer song than the one he and the boys had been singing the day before, and something about it feels faintly familiar. Yangyang slowly shuffles closer to hear better, pressing himself up against a thick tree trunk with Bella right behind him. He doesn’t know the words— some story about a mean king trying to harm his subjects—but the tune itself is definitely sparking a memory. Yangyang can’t remember much about his mother, he only has vague recollections of the time he used to live in the city before his father brought him to the northern woods. But he does remember that she used to sing him to sleep when he fussed, and this tune may have been one she sang most. He only means to close his eyes for a moment, just to focus on the music, but he also had an exciting morning and restless night. He dozes off almost immediately, head resting at a poor angle on the tree’s thick roots, as Bella sleeps at his feet.   
  


___

Yangyang jolts awake to the sounds of children whining. He’s lying on his side a few feet from the tree with his head pillowed in soft grass. That’s unusual for him, regularly sleeping in tree branches had broken him of the habit of tossing and turning in his sleep a long time ago. Bella licks his face blearily before nudging him to his feet. He tickles her nose as he tunes in to what the travelers are saying.

“I’m still tired, Kun-ge, can’t we sleep a little longer?”

“I’m sorry, Jisung, but we really do need to travel a little further while we have daylight, we lost a large part of the day. But don’t you feel refreshed? I think we’ll make great time, and be ready to sleep again before you know it!”

“Okay…” Jisung doesn’t sound convinced, but doesn’t argue. As they set off, Yangyang sits back down, rubbing Bella’s belly as he thinks. Obviously it doesn’t matter to him that these travelers get through his woods safely, they’re just strangers. Yangyang only helped them find Chenle because he wanted them gone faster. And the man is a mage, surely they’ll be fine! 

Well… a mage he might be, but it’s clear he’s exhausted. If he’s trying to stay up to watch over the kids, and then falling asleep anyways, it’s only a matter of time before he slips up again… and maybe next time Chenle really will wander into a bear’s den or fall down a ravine. It’s not like it really matters to Yangyang, but does he have anything else better to do? There’s still months to go before winter, he has plenty of time to take care of his preparations. He’s still curious as to why these strangers are traveling through this area anyways, their presence here is the most interesting thing to have happened here in years! It wouldn’t hurt to follow them for at least a little longer. He can’t stray too far from his home base, but he’s travelled about a day’s radius from the oak tree before and it was fine. Just another day or so, that’s all. 

His mind made up, he sets off after his new charges. None of them spotted him earlier, so he’s not worried about following a bit closer this time, with Bella off to patrol at a distance and warn him of threats. It’s actually a fairly fun afternoon, listening to the boys bicker and to the man sing and softly scold them. Chenle is a bit bossy, and Jisung cries really easily, but they do get along well for the most part especially with the man to mediate. Yangyang doesn’t understand everything they talk about, but they keep their conversations light hearted. The man tries to start an educational game about “spells'' and things they see around them, but the boys mutiny a bit and he quickly backs off. As sunset nears, Bella chases off a curious wolf before they get too close, and demands lots of praise and scratches of her good work, which Yangyang is happy to give as always. The travelers stop for the night shortly thereafter, settling down to another dinner conjured up by the man then collecting sticks together to build a fire. Yangyang’s glad he keeps jerky in his pack, rationing some out to feed himself and Bella. The kids fall asleep soon after, cuddled close together, as the man sits back against a tree. Yangyang huddles closer to Bella for warmth as the night sets in, another chilly one heralding the season’s shift. 

“You can come closer to the fire, if you’d like, it’s much warmer.” Several moments pass before Yangyang realizes the words are addressed to him and not the sleeping kids, and his heart rate suddenly spikes. The man is looking right in the direction he’s hiding in with a smile. “It’s alright, friend, I mean you no harm. Please, come closer, it’s awfully chilly. There’s some food left from dinner, too, if you’re hungry.”

Bella’s tail thumps against Yangyang’s leg at the prospect of more dinner, but she stays still as Yangyang thinks through his options. He could try to run away, but what if he tried to catch him? He certainly can’t fight him. What could he possibly want? He does seem bizarrely nice, maybe he really does just want to offer him food. Doesn’t he care that Yangyang’s been following them?

Yangyang rises cautiously and approaches, and the man’s smile grows until he spots Bella at his heels.

“Er, your wolf friend is tame, right?”

He frowns. “Of course she’s not tame. But she won’t hurt you, or Jisung or Chenle.”

The man relaxes a bit at this assurance and laughs lightly. “So you know our names, then? I’d still like to formally introduce myself, if that’s alright. My name is Qian Kun, it’s very nice to meet you.” He smiles, clearly waiting for something as Yangyang watches him warily. “And your name?” he prompts when Yangyang remains silent.

“Oh… I’m Yangyang. This is Bella.” Bella takes her cue to whine softly and take a few steps towards the platters of food sitting beside Kun. “She is… kind of hungry.”

“It’s nice to meet the both of you, Yangyang. You can call me Kun-ge, if you’d like! Here, help yourselves!” He pushes the platters towards them and Bella gleefully tears in. Yangyang sits cautiously beside her and grabs a roll with little fruits in it. It tastes a lot blander than it looks, but he’s grateful to have something more substantial to fill his belly.

“How did you know I was following you?” He asks as he tears into a second roll. 

“You don’t really sound much like Chenle, you know. It’s been hard to notice much when the kids monopolize so much of my attention, but once I realized we weren’t alone I kept a closer look out.” The man starts pulling apart a roll of his own, still smiling serenely. “Thank you for your help, by the way. I don’t know if I would have ever found him without you. You too, Bella, I presume you were the doggie he got all excited about? I’m in both of your debts.” He bends at the waist stiffly, holding his position for a few moments before he straightens back up. “I wasn’t expecting anyone else to be in the area, are you traveling as well? Are you from a nearby homestead? We’re so far from the mapped out settlements, I don’t really know what all is around here, but I know we’re a-ways off from the Jahanian king’s road.”

“Yes,” Yangyang answers, and stuffs the remainder of the roll in his mouth. 

Kun waits expectantly for a few moments, then just nods. “Well I am very fortunate that my god set us on your path. Please feel free to rest the night with us, and if you’d like you can continue traveling with us until our paths diverge.”

“You just want me to go to sleep? What about you?” When has this man last slept beyond dozing off while his children wander away?

“I can usually get the boys to stay put for a few hours in the daytime to give me a little time to get some rest. When we find a safe-looking spot at least.”

“I don’t think that’s working out well for you. You look exhausted, and you fell asleep when trying to watch over them last night.” Kun winces, but Yangyang carries forward. “You should let me take watch first and get some sleep so you can do better next time.”

Kun holds his gaze for several seconds as if he’s searching for something, then smiles. “You’re really a good kid, Yangyang, thank you. I’ll gladly take you up on that offer, please wake me as soon as you’d like to rest.” He shifts to sprawl out on the ground and is asleep before Yangyang can think to correct him that he’s not a kid. 

The night moves onward and Bella polishes off the last of the tray before flopping on her side with a whine.

“Is your belly aching, princess? You should have paced yourself a bit better, hmm?” Yangyang teases, and she snaps half heartedly at his hand in retaliation. He rubs her belly to make amends and she settles back down. Yangyang thinks she’s fallen asleep when she abruptly perks up with a low growl. She can sense something approaching, but is not sure what. Yangyang closes his eyes and focuses his senses on the forest around him. He can feel the forest thrum around him, gaining a new kind of awareness of the world surrounding them. He can “feel” Kun, Chenle, and Jisung first, and then the critters burrowing and nesting in the surrounding wood as his senses expand rapidly outwards. There! Several beasts, four— no, five. Predators of some sort… wolves. Something clicks into place-- the wolf Bella chased off was only a scout. The pack approaches swiftly and Yangyang rises to his feet, shaking out his legs before slipping away from the campsite to intercept them.

The wolves are waiting for them in a nearby clearing, hackles raised and growling. When Bella is the first to run into the clearing, they snarl and snap at her. She backs up, cowed, but holds her ground before Yangyang can pass her. 

The leader of the pack steps forward threateningly and Bella barks out a reply. The two exchange growls as Yangyang reaches for the energy within himself, draws his fingers over his face as if tracing out a muzzle and adds his own growl. The magic sets in and he can understand what the leader is communicating. She’s posturing still, clearly upset at Bella for chasing off one of her own before in defense of two-leggers. How dare a lone wolf threaten her pack near their territory, and how dare she bring with her another human?

Yangyang steps in front of Bella, shielding her and making clear his position as her leader. The pack leader snarls at him and makes as if to prepare to leap forward, but he knows she is still posturing. He is a child of the forest and wolf in his own right, and she can sense it. She will hear him out.

“Peace, we do not mean threat to your pack, nor are we planning to encroach on your territory. My pack and I are merely traveling through the unclaimed land.”

_Your pack? Four four-leggers and a runt does not a pack make._

“The others may not be wolves, but they are still with our pack. They are under our protection.”

_You skirt awfully close to our territory, human, and borders are shifting. I do not appreciate your insolence._

“Our territory is just as close, as is marked.” He tries his luck, tapping once more into the energy in his core and hiding a clawing gesture as he unties his ration pack. “I am sorry that our travel has disturbed your pack’s hunt. Take this as an offering of peace.”

He lowers his carefully packed bundle of jerky to the ground and the wolf sniffs at it before snapping up a few pieces.

_It is no replacement for fresh meat, but it is something. Be gone from here within the day or I will reconsider our generosity._

With that, the wolf gathers the bundle in her mouth and leaves the clearing, followed shortly thereafter by her four pack mates, each leaving a parting growl. Yangyang waits until they have certainly left before he returns to the campsite. 

He’s definitely tired now that the adrenaline has worn off. It is not the first time he’s needed to parlay with wolves, but he hopes each time it will be the last. 

He crouches next to Kun’s sleeping form. “Wake up, I need to sleep now.” Kun doesn’t even stir. “Kun?” Nothing, not even when Yangyang nudges at his arm. “Kun-ge?”

Kun shoots uprights so suddenly that Bella jumps in surprise. “Jisung? Chenle? What’s wrong? …Oh, Yangyang, hello. Ready to get some rest?”

Yangyang just nods, having bitten his tongue harshly when he stifled his own surprised yelp. As Kun gets up and stretches, he and Bella curl up on the ground, enjoying the warm impression he had left. And with that, Yangyang is asleep.  
  


__

Yangyang wakes to a shrill, “BUT WHY CAN’T I SAY HI YET?” He starts upright as Bella whines about the abrupt wake up and burrows her head under his tunic. Her calm settles him and he relaxes as he remembers where he is. Jisung is blinking blearily across the clearing at him from where he had been sleeping, and Kun is attempting to restrain an enthusiastic Chenle from giving Yangyang and Bella a physical greeting. He smiles as Yangyang yawns and stretches his limbs out.

“Good morning, Yangyang! I’d like to formally introduce you to Chenle and Jisung. I told Chenle that you had helped us find him, and he’s very keen to get acquainted.”

Chenle wiggles out of Kun’s grasp and launches himself to the ground in front of Yangyang. “It’s very nice to meet you, thank you for helping me! Can I pet your dog?”

Bella shifts her head out of his tunic, affronted at being called a dog but unable to contain a few excited sweeps of her tail at the prospect of being pet. Yangyang laughs a little and lightly flicks her ear.

“She’s a wolf, not a dog, but she would like some petting, yes.”

Chenle dives his hands into her fur with gusto. Jisung slowly rises and approaches, not looking quite so eager to get hands-on.

“Hi, my name is Jisung and I’m seven. What about you?”

“I’m Yangyang, and this is Bella.” Bella twists herself around to flop the other way so Chenle can keep stroking her flank while she sniffs at Jisung curiously. The boy shrinks back with wide eyes.

“It’s okay, Sungie, she’s friendly!” Chenle encourages, and Jisung does warily extend a hand for Bella to smell.

“Yes, Bella is a very nice wolf. But if you see any other wolves, do not get close to them! They are usually quite wild and fierce.” Kun cuts in, and the boys chime their agreement. Yangyang wonders where they came from to not be familiar enough with wolves to tell them apart from dogs. He also wonders if he should tell them about the pack he met last night, but Jisung seems really nervous. Yangyang had handled it, so there was no need to get them worried without need.

“She’d like it if you threw a stick for her, Bella likes to play games,” he tells Jisung.

Kun asks, “What about you, Yangyang, do you like to play games?”

Yangyang shrugs. He does like to play, but his father always told him that games are only for babies. He doesn’t want Kun to think he’s a child.

“I love playing games! We should play together!” Chenle happily cuts in.

Kun laughs. “You should! I think there are some nice travel games we can play while moving. For now, let’s have some breakfast before we resume the journey.”

With that, Kun pulls some rolls out of his pack to distribute. They’re the same bland rolls from the night before, but having given away his own rations Yangyang is happy to accept. 

Before long they are underway, continuing to the south-east. Jisung and Chenle try to teach Yangyang a game where they each take turns saying something and the next person has to say something that begins with the same sound the last person’s ended with. Yangyang thinks he’s doing well, though sometimes some words that sound the same don’t count and he can’t quite figure out why, but it might have to do with their accents. 

“Where are you from?” Chenle asks after he flubs another turn. Jisung had distractedly walked into a low tree branch while trying to pay attention to the game and is now being checked over for injury by Kun. His hair has several twigs broken off into it and he’s a bit teary.

“I’m from… here?” 

“Obviously, silly, but what is your town called? How far away is it?”

“I don’t live in a town, I live in the forest.” Yangyang had thought that was obvious, but Chenle looks scandalized. 

Kun senses tension rising and cuts in. “Sometimes people aren’t from a city or a village, and that’s okay.”

“But how do they pay taxes?” Chenle insists. 

Yangyang wrinkles his nose. “What are taxes?”

Chenle sends him a withering sneer. “You don’t know what taxes are?”

“Chenle, I don’t think you actually know what taxes are either, so please be nice. We aren’t paying any taxes either now that we left the Empire, so it really doesn’t matter anyways.” Kun chides him as he tries to smooth Jisung’s now-twigless hair flat. 

Rather than settling him, this just riles Chenle up further. “I do too know what taxes are! My mama told me everyone pays taxes to their lord so that… so that…” his angry expression crumples. “…I miss my mama.”

“I know, sweetheart,” Kun soothes, taking his hand and rubbing the back of it with his thumb. 

Yangyang isn’t sure what to say, so he stays quiet as the boys sniffle. Bella weaves between his legs.

“How about we take our break now?” Kun asks rhetorically, laying down a blanket from his pack and gathering the boys close. Yangyang settles down nearby with Bella demanding similar attention in his lap. 

As the boys cling, Kun rubs their backs. He smiles at Yangyang. “We usually take a mid-day break, I hope that’s alright with you. We’ll be on our way again soon.”

“Kun, where is it you three came from?” Yangyang asks. He doesn’t want to set Chenle off again, but his curiosity has been piqued. 

Kun seems to be on the same wavelength. “It is a long story, perhaps one we can discuss later. But you know, you really can call me Kun-ge like the boys if you want to, Yangyang.” 

Yangyang nods, not quite sure what the offer means but tired of his ignorance being on display. 

They begin traveling again shortly afterwards and the rest of the day passes in a more subdued tone than the morning. When they settle down to make camp, Yangyang excuses himself and Bella to hunt down a dinner rather than relying on the tasteless magic food. They’re lucky enough to find a small herd of deer and are even luckier to take down one of the smaller bucks as the rest of the herd race away. Yangyang butchers it where it fell, taking enough meat to feed their party and leaving the rest to the forest to feast on. He even detours on the way back when he spies a bush of edible berries, grabbing a handful to share with his companions.

As he’d hoped, a dinner of fresh food brightens everyone’s spirits considerably. 

“Yangyang, can you teach me to hunt? I want to eat like this every night!” Chenle requests enthusiastically. 

“Kun-ge’s food is good too though,” Jisung chimes in, misinterpreting the shocked look on Kun’s face.

“I don’t think we’ll have enough time to teach hunting, but maybe I could show you and Jisung how to find the nice berries tomorrow?”

That’s enough to satisfy them and Kun seems relieved. Yangyang isn’t sure why he wouldn’t want Chenle to know such a useful skill, but he’s come to realize that this mage is just odd in a lot of ways. He’s nothing like Yangyang’s father was. Is. 

After the boys curl up to sleep, Yangyang remembers his earlier question. He interrupts Kun as he’s nudging a sleeping Jisung a bit farther from their fire. “Kun-ge, you said you would tell me later about where you’re from.”

Kun is quiet for a moment, then asks, “How much do you know about the countries surrounding this land?”

Yangyang needs a moment to think. “Well, I know elven lands are to the east. And the other human kingdoms are somewhere to the south, Barric, and… Arve?”

“Jahan, Barric, Arvas, Carda, and Kelsh are the human kingdoms,” Kun corrects gently. “We’re from a land to the west, the Holy Empire of Aiurca. It is… not a great place to be at this time, but is it a beautiful land, and we had wonderful pasts there.” His eyes are mournful. “The way Aiurca is ruled is… unique. While Jahan and the other kingdoms are ruled by family lines of kings and queens, the empire has a council of many representatives, one of whom is elected to rule as emperor every nine years. The new emperor holds very different ideas about order and justice than the last. It is hard for me to explain because I don’t understand his dogma.” Kun leans over and double checks that the boys are sleeping before he continues, with an even lower voice. “The countryside our village lay in had become very turbulent and dangerous. I’ll spare you the details, but our village was attacked by a bandit troupe, and only the three of us survived. Survivors of tragedies are seen as extremely unlucky by the new emperor, and it wouldn’t have been safe for us there anymore.”

“So you’re going to live in Jahan, now?”

“We’re actually just passing through Jahan on our way to Arvas. I had a vision from my god, the Lord Deo, and I believe our futures lie in the Arvasian capital. It’s a long journey, but I know it will be worth it.” Kun smiles at Yangyang. “So that’s how we ended up here. Can I ask how you ended up living in the woods?”

“I… this is where we live.”

“I know that, Yangyang, but most people don’t live in forests. Were you born here? Where are your family?”

Yangyang feels on edge at the sudden questions. Perhaps it is unfair given how much Kun just told him about himself, but, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“That’s alright!” Kun picks up on his discomfort and is quick to assure him. “Regardless of how you came to be here, I’m very glad you are here.”

Kun takes the first watch that night as Yangyang falls into a restless slumber, thinking of his father and the way he’d come to be alone in the forest to begin with

  
__

Morning dawns, and with it a new sense of dread within Yangyang. They are already farther from his territory than he’s ever been. What if his father had finally come back in the past few days only to find Yangyang gone? It’s incredibly unlikely, but it was also unlikely for Yangyang to meet Kun, Chenle, and Jisung, so the odds are still scary. But they are still within the heavy forestry, and they will still need Yangyang and Bella’s help to be safe. He really can’t go much further though. Whether they reach the end of the woods today or not, Yangyang will need to turn back.

“Are you feeling alright, little sheep?” Kun picks up on his trepidation and ruffles his hair soothingly. Yangyang can’t help but lean into the gesture, though he doesn’t quite get the nickname.

“Yes, I’m just thinking.”

“Thinking is boring! Tag, you’re it!” And there really is nothing like a game to take his mind off his unease. He takes off after a laughing Chenle to tag him back.

By the time Kun has gotten them to wind their game down and set off on their way, Yangyang is in high spirits. He’s relaxed and having fun joining Chenle in needling Kun. Between the fun he’s having now and the worries bubbling in the back of his head, he is definitely more distracted than he usually is, and so is Bella. That’s why all five of them are caught off guard by a fearsome bellowing squawk. 

Surprised as he is, Yangyang still has the reflexes to grab Jisung and Chenle by their arms to pull them back as a large furred and feathered form barrels past a cluster of fir trees and into their path. Fear rises like bile in Yangyang’s throat and he releases the boys to draw his bow. An owlbear. One of the most fearsome predators the forest boasts, Yangyang has done well to keep far away from them in the past. This one is even bigger than he thought they could grow. 

Kun is closest to the creature, as he was leading their way, and he takes a risk in turning back to them. “Yangyang, take the boys and run away!” He calls, then cries out in pain as the owlbear swipes at him and sends him sprawling. Chenle and Jisung shriek in fear.

Yangyang grabs Chenle by the wrist to make sure he has his attention. “You and Jisung, follow Bella! Bella, take them somewhere safe.” Bella is quick to nudge at the boys’ heels and get them moving. Yangyang nocks an arrow, focusing on the energy of the forest as he takes aim and then fires, intercepting the monstrosity before it bears down on Kun with another attack. The arrow strikes true, but the wound doesn’t seem to phase the creature. The arrow shaft itself, however, quickly erupts into a writing mass of vines as the magic sets in, settling around the owl bear and tightening. Yangyang has used this trick before on large prey to restrain their movement, but he is shocked as the owlbear simply tears the vines away and lunges for Yangyang as his new target. He can’t contain a yelp of surprise before he turns and tries to run, but he’s not fast enough. It feels like hot brands are pressed into the skin of his back as the owlbear’s claws rake across it. He staggers, then falls to his knees as the creature’s beak clamps around his biceps and halts his forward momentum. He hopes Bella and the boys had enough of a head start to get to safety. He hopes that if his dad ever does come back, he finds Yangyang’s tree and knows that he hadn’t run off, hadn’t given up waiting. He hopes his death won’t hurt too much more. 

Before he can up and die though, he hears Kun yelling. “Yangyang! Get off of him, you beast!” and then something else in a language he can’t understand. The owlbear howls a hoot of anger and pain and jolts away from Yangyang. He crumples to the ground without the beak holding him upright. As he lifts his head, he sees a flash of light materialize and streak towards the owlbear, and it moans out a final hoot before collapsing. Oh, right. Kun is a mage. Kun has powerful magic and can obviously protect himself. Yangyang would laugh at his own stupidity if he weren’t in an overwhelming amount of pain. 

He groans as he is shifted onto his side, his head pillowed onto Kun’s thigh. His back and arm are warm and wet with his own blood, but his chest feels cold. “Shhhh, it’s okay sweetheart, you’re going to be alright.” Yangyang feels his pain begin to ease and a dense, warm feeling blooms in his chest as Kun runs his fingers through his hair and traces his other hand lightly over his back. “There we are, there you go. Brave little sheep. I thought maybe you were a sheep in wolf’s clothing, but you really are a fierce predator, aren’t you?” Yangyang doesn’t understand what he’s referencing but he feels mildly insulted, and lets out a whine. Kun hushes him. “Just give me a moment, you’re doing very well.” The soothing, warming sensation continues, and before Yangyang knows it, he feels no pain at all. He sits up slowly, and runs a hand over his bicep. It’s covered in blood, still, but there is no wound. He looks up to meet Kun’s smiling gaze with an unspoken question. “I’m a cleric, Yangyang, the magic I know best is healing. I know a handful of other spells, of course, but Lord Deo is god of life and sustenance, and that translates into the strength he lends me. But you have some magic in you too, don’t you Yangyang? That was a very impressive spell with the vines. Who taught you that?”

Yangyang shrugs. He certainly doesn’t have any gods lending him power. “I just learned.”

Kun laughs at his answer, though Yangyang hadn’t meant to be funny. He tries to rise, but is still unsteady, and Kun coaxes him back into lying with his head on his lap. “Don’t rush, sweetheart, you had quite a scare and lost a lot of blood. Rest for a while. Are you able to call Bella to bring the boys back?” Yangyang nods, though it takes a few tries to whistle out a signal to her. 

“Yangyang, I know you said you didn’t want to talk about it, but… these woods are very dangerous. Have you really been living here alone? You and Bella, I mean.”

Yangyang takes a deep breath. “Yes. We are alone now. I used to live with my father, but three years ago we needed to split up… I met Bella in the meantime, but… he was supposed to come back a long time ago. I’m still waiting.”

Kun keeps stroking his hair and is polite enough not to mention it as Yangyang starts to cry, all the overwhelming emotions of the day hitting him at once. He just makes soothing noises and rubs his back. Yangyang’s mostly cried himself out by the time Bella, Chenle, and Jisung make their way back, and Bella promptly begins licking up his tear tracks and nuzzling into his neck. Chenle and Jisung are alarmed at the blood soaked into his torn tunic, but Kun has a spare one to give him, and one he’s re-outfitted the boys both hug him tightly. 

They move along at a cautious but fast pace, unwilling to stay in the area any longer with the fear there might be a den of other owlbears nearby. In a turn of fortune, they actually reach the edge of the dense forest about an hour before dusk. The land stretching before them is rocky and barren, alien to Yangyang. Jisung and Chenle laugh and dance around, chanting “no more trees! no more trees!” which Yangyang thinks sounds terrible. But he does spot what must be a stretch of the kings’ road near the horizon. Kun and his boys are finally at the next stage of their journey… and it is time that Yangyang go back home. 

He doesn’t know how to tell Kun right away, and so it isn’t until the next morning as Yangyang watches dawn break over the horizon during his shift of watch that he decides he needs to do it fast.

“Kun-ge,” he shakes the man awake. He rises with a smile and tries to greet Yangyang, but the ranger cuts him off. “Kun-ge, I need to leave. I’ve travelled further than I should have, I can’t go with you any longer.”

Kun’s smile fades. “Yangyang… I want you to come with us. To Arvas. The forest is so dangerous, I can’t stand to think of how you might be hurt alone in there with no other people close enough to help you.” Before Yangyang can cut in and explain how he’s been fine on his own so far, Kun barrels on. “And danger side, a desolate forest is no place for a person your age to live. You should be having fun, playing with your friends. You should be in school, for the gods’ sakes, do you even know how to read or do figures? Do you even know the stories of the gods?”

Yangyang isn’t sure why reading or figuring or knowing about the gods would be so important. “I don’t need those things, Kun-ge." 

Kun shakes his head. “Even without those things, Yangyang, you’re just a child. You can’t possibly be older than twelve. You should have somebody taking care of you. You should have a family, and a real home. We can be your family.”

Yangyang can feel his eyes burn, but he refuses to cry. 

“I can’t go with you, Kun-ge, the forest is my home. And I told you… My father. I need to wait.”

“Yangyang… little sheep… I know what you told me, but you also told me you have been waiting for years, alone except for Bella. I know that you know… it’s very likely he won’t be coming back.” 

“I promised I’d wait! If I don’t… if I don’t, he’ll be so angry. I can’t go, Kun.”

Kun’s firm expression breaks into a frown. He pulls Yangyang into a hug, and Yangyang lets him. “I can’t force you, Yangyang… I really want you to be with us, but I can’t force you. But please, can I ask you to make me a promise too? Don’t wait for much longer. If he doesn’t come back, I want you to come find us, in Arvas. Here,” And he breaks the embrace to leaf through his satchel, pulling out some parchment and a feather. He writes several things down. “The Arvasian capital is called Melos, and if you forget you can show this parchment to someone on the road to ask for directions. You’ll travel south on the Jahanian king’s road and then ask for directions when you cross the border, okay? When you get there, ask around to find me, hopefully I’ll have found work as a healer. My full name is Qian Kun, remember, here, I’ll write that as well.” He blows on the parchment, before folding it into a square and sticking it straight into the pouch at Yangyang’s waist instead of handing it to him. “There. Please promise me. Even if your father does come back, you can write to us, or visit us. I’d really like that, Yangyang. Will you promise me, little sheep?”

Yangyang nods stiffly, afraid that if he tries to speak he really will lose the battle with his tears. Kun pulls him into another hug, and he doesn’t let go until the boys are rousing. He does cry when Jisung starts to wail upon breaking the news, but he still finds the strength to break away from the smaller boy’s embrace. Bella is reluctant to pull away from Chenle’s teary farewell hug, but she follows her ranger. 

“Bye, Jisung, Chenle. Bye, Kun-ge.”

“May Deo watch over you Yangyang. I have a strong feeling we’ll meet again. Be safe.”

And with that, Yangyang and Bella slip back into the forest and begin their trek back home. It’s a much faster journey with just the two of them, even as they take care to avoid the unfriendly wolves’ territory, but the lack of conversation makes it feel much longer. Yangyang feels frustrated with himself. He went so many years without another person to talk with without a problem. He never even talked much when his father was here. Now after three days he’s suddenly starving for conversation? He can do better. 

He does find comfort in Kun’s parting words. If Kun-ge, who gets messages from gods, and slays owlbears, and conjures food from nothing, tells him that they will meet again, Yangyang is inclined to believe him. For now, though, it’s time to wait. He has a winter to prepare for. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Yangyang’s father, surprise surprise, never does show up. Yangyang makes good on his promise to Kun and find the trio two years later, living it up with the NCT guild. Yangyang (and Bella) fit right in.  
> Please leave me a kudos and comment if you liked!  
> Please stay tuned for more stories of the NCT adventurers!  
> [Find me on twitter!](https://twitter.com/hyuckaboo)


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